Mindfulness in the busy everyday life

Hands up if you’re a person who is always very busy and often goes to bed wondering where did the day go. Or if you’re a person who easily gets stressed out and feel like sometimes you’re on an autopilot.

I sure have both my hands up!

I’ve always been a person who worries and overthinks everything. And I easily switch the autopilot on and just finish a task after task. I know it’s part of who I am, but I also know it’s something that I can work on. Lately, I’ve started to really read about mindfulness and listen to podcasts about it (Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations and Sahara Rose’s Higher Self are my favourite). I know that if I don’t become more mindful and aware, I will miss out on so many things in life.

Mindfulness doesn’t mean that you need to be in a meditative state all the time. My favourite way to put it is “Mindfulness is making yourself aware that you’re not aware“. For example, when you’re brushing your teeth in the morning, you’re most likely thinking about anything but brushing your teeth. What if next time you really try to pay attention to your teeth and the sensations you experience. Or when you wash your hair in the shower, focus on how good it feels to give yourself a quick head massage and how good the shampoo smells. Or when you’re on your way to work/school, pay attention to your surroundings, to other people and to any sensations you’re experiencing.

As I said, mindfulness doesn’t mean that you need to be in a constant meditative state. Even taking five deep breaths every now and then is a good way to start. Just breath in and feel the air filling your lungs. Listen to your breath and make yourself aware of any changes it causes in your body and mind. It might be very difficult in the beginning but don’t be too hard on